Stratya, Riona, Anastasia, Cynwaer and Sjandehk
Stratya was just leaving her swordbreaker with the barkeep when - Ooh, a response, someone continued the song! The knight turned to locate the source of the responding voice excitedly, especially after the response had been so lackluster before his rescue. Was the song not as known as she thought? Well, no matter. Someone had picked it up.
âOye, âere's a âearty response! âat's tâkindâo crowd we need, Rriona,â her accent had gotten a little stronger since coming into the bar. She rolled the r just once. A flip, if you will.
âSinginâ and drrinkinâ is best with moar, ye ken. Shall we?â The Knight looked for a response more than waited for one, and she was already on her way to stepping toward the voice sheâd heard.
Riona shook her head.
âYou go on ahead. Iâll stick around and guard the fort.â She patted the report in front of her.
Stratya stopped and pivoted about, swinging just so that her beer didnât spill,
âoh.. aye?â She glanced at the report briefly, but decided that this report, itself, wouldnât be all that sensitive. Riona seemed sharp enough to not bring it otherwise, too.
Her gaze flicked to Darrynâs lonely drink on the other side of the table.
âSomeoneâs gotta make sure that beer doesnât walk off.â Not that his ghost was about to materialize and chug it down, but hey, sheâd paid for the damn thing. If anyone was going to drink it, itâd better be her.
âJust donât forget, you and I still need to talk. So donât get too crazy out there, okay?â Riona managed to throw a smile at Stratya.
âAlrighâ, âhen. Trry not to drrink too much on yerr own, nao.â She heard the Local Sea Captain call out for a response. The Noble Army Captain grinned and drew a breath to give it,
âA fine lass ye be!â Stratya gave Riona a friendly grin before popping on down the bar. Theyâd hardly known each other and already shared a round of forgiveness. Where she was from, that was a sign of fast friends, and no small feat, either. It felt strange to leave her new friend to drink alone while she went to find a party, but.. maybe Rinoa could be pulled into something a little heartier in a moment. After her first or second beer, perhaps.
Stratya was in earshot of the party she sought just in time to hear the Foreign Sea Captain turn down the Localâs request for a song, and her joy was doubled,
âoooh, but luck is a lady tonighâ, friends! Or three, as the case may be - weeeeell, we rreally arre lucky, arren't we? Hah, Iâll sing ye somâinâ frrom âome.â Stratya hadnât looked too closely at anyone in particular just yet.
âOh, ken you my love Johnny, heâd doon on yonder lea
Heâs lookinâ and heâs joukinâ and aye heâs watchinâ me.
Heâs puâin and heâs teasinâ but his meaninâs nae sae bad,
Gin it everr gaun tae be, tell me noo, Johnnie lad.â She drained a good half of her pint as a response rose from the pub. She set it down on the table as she slid into a seat,
âMinâ if we join ya? Iâll even buy a rround. Though, perâaps some of us âave âad enough.â She caught herself eyeing Annie, finding her familiar. And drunk.
Very drunk.The princess in the pink gown had been guzzling drink after drink without a care in the world, as if consequence itself was a foreign concept to her. Her gaze found Stratya, feeling her eyes on her. Through messy blonde locks, Anastasia looked her up and down and smirked. Finally, she rose from her stool and made her way over, stumbling at times as her steps unsteady.
Annie then paused before her with a bright smile. Now that she was closer, the woman was much more familiar, but there was something rather comforting in not knowing exactly who she was just yet.
"Oooh, you're sooo pretty!" she slurred.
That grating, cloying voice stabbed into Rionaâs ears like an ice pick. Her fingers clenched around the cup as every muscle went rigid.
What is she doing here?âOhh hoh, arren't you just a darrlinâ. Steady, now. âere, lay yârr âand on mâshoulderr, nae tippinâ ova now.âCynwaerâs eyes shone and his brows arched with amusement as he watched Anastasia totter her way over to the singing stranger. Credit where it was due, that the girl was still able to stand up â even if she was about as steady as a newborn foal â and that she still had enough control of her faculties to string a sentence together â even if her words were almost slurred to the point of incoherence â was impressive. Cynwaer had expected her to be face-down on the bar about two or three cups ago.
He looked over to the newcomer, and right away his amusement turned to guarded curiosity. He had heard her speak long before seeing her, and so had assumed her to be someone like him; a foreigner to Sorian, hailing from somewhere in the rural countryside. Deep within it, even; her accent was far thicker and far more pronounced than his.
But that wasnât what her attire, or the way she carried herself, told him. Did she perhaps hold a title of some sort? The distinctive symbol on the back of her gloves â distinctive enough to catch Cynwaerâs eyes â suggested just that. Or maybe he was reading too much into things, and she was just a particularly well-dressed commoner.
ââAtâs quite a voice yer âave,â Cynwaer remarked to the stranger.
âReminds me oâ aâŠWell, just a fella I know, aye.â He turned around fully in his seat to face her and gave her a grin.
âWhere yer fae? Itâs nae eâryday I run intae a lass wiâ words like yers, nae. That saidâŠâ He waved a hand in Anastasiaâs general direction.
âDonât think weâll be needinâ mer rounds, not unless weâre wantinâ ta carry our wee lassie âere âame, anâ Iâm nae daeân any oâ that, aye Iâm nae.âJust before turning back around to face the bar, he nodded towards the strangerâs gloves.
âOh, anâ thatâs a pair oâ fancy gloves yer âave on, by the way. âOpe yer donât mind me sayinâ saâ.ââMâ gloves? Ooye, thank âee for noâicinâ! I got âem as a liâtle gift for mâself, afterr I wer knighâed. Me motâerr wâsoo suâprrised when I wenâ and tolâ âer all abouâ iâ. It werr news enough me liâtle village, not even on most maps, called for a festival, of all tâtâings. Tâese gloves âave been âelpful, too. Got me the drop on a crooked tax man or two. âOoh, sheâs just some bonnie lassâ - kâpow, a bonnie lass with authoriây and brawn, thanâkee.â She had herself a satisfied chuckle before taking another swig. Having something that looked (and was) so official and could be shown so readily was a real ace.
The real purpose of her tour of the kingdom, and the purpose she wasnât mentioning, was Inquisition. Magic hunting. Sheâd made the tour with her gloves in her pocket, figuratively and literally. It was easiest to hear things when you were assumed to be unimportant.
â.. I wondah if tâey still feaâ me. Itâs been a while.â Sip.
Cynwaer nodded slowly. The womanâs slurring voice and her thick accent didnât make it easy for him to understand all of what she said, but he caught enough to know her as an enemy.
âSo yer a soldier, eh?â He remarked, keeping his voice as light as before. There wasnât any point in him making the woman an open adversary at this point in time. Not when Renegade and Songbird had yet to arrive.
âOne oâ taâ Kingâs ladsâ Well, I mean, Kingâs lassies, are yer? Cannae say yer look taâ part, but I daeân look taâ part oâ a capân, either, sae whoâm I taâ say anythinâ, aye? Sâpose it does work out in me favour sometimes, like what yer said.âHe looked over his shoulder at Sjan-dehk. If the foreign captain had felt left out thus far, he did a good job of hiding it. If anything, the man seemed more interested in reading â at least, that was what Cynwaer assumed he was doing â the faded labels plastered across the bottles sitting on the shelf across from him.
âSee anythinâ yer like, pal?â Sjan-dehk shook his head.
âNo. Only reading. Learning.â He turned to Cynwaer, casting a quick glance over the manâs shoulder at the new woman. She didnât look like a noblewoman â at least not what Sjan-dehk assumed Caeonian nobility to appear â but she did carry herself with an air that he mostly associated with someone of a military background. Something about the way she spoke and her boisterous mannerisms. That said, Sjan-dehk found her words to be completely incomprehensible, so he was hardly overly-confident in his assessment.
He tilted his head back towards the shelf.
âYou people like thisâŠBeer? What is it?âCynwaer almost laughed. A man who didnât know what beer was? That was certainly new, and something he found both amusing and enviable.
âItâs feckinâ pisswater, thatâs what âtis,â he said and allowed himself a chuckle.
âBe glad yer daeân know much about it. Aye, thereâs good ones out there fae sure, but most oâ it may as well be taâ kingâs eveninâ piss served in taâ morninâ. Dae yerselâ a favour anâ âave a good whiskey or scotch if yer can.â He nodded towards the barkeep, who had moved further down the counter to serve another customer.
âEâen the shite âe brews wiâ âis wifeâs and mawâs drawârs âave a betâer taste if yer ask me.ââOi, I heard that! Shut your fucking gob!â came an annoyed, but not entirely angry, shout.
âAye, yer sâposed tae, and âtis a compliment!â Cynwaer yelled back with a smile.
Sjan-dehk, although not quite understanding what was going on, nevertheless simply nodded. It was oftentimes the best thing to do, he had come to learn. Sensing that it would be best for him to change the topic, he tilted his chin towards the new woman.
âThis new woman, you know who she is?ââOh, âer?â Cynwaer followed Sjan-dehkâs gaze. A look of contempt flashed across his face, and he turned away from her.
âShe tells me sheâs an army lass. One oâ the kingsâŠFolk. Personally, Iâm nae a fan oâ any oâ them. All me run-ins wiâ âem all tend taâ end terribly.â He decided against mentioning that his encounters with soldiers typically ended poorly for them. The bodies of the taxmanâs escort from days ago were likely still laying in tatters on that very same road as proof of that very fact.
âArmy?â Sjan-dehk repeated, a tinge of interest in his tone. That would make the woman one of the few members of the Caesonian military he had met since arriving to Sorian. Before he could ask her any of the questions he had in mind however, her attention had already shifted towards Annie. Sjan-dehk merely shrugged, and busied himself with getting another drink.
The knighted knight glanced at Annie. She was.. distressingly familiar. Stratya was determinedly unphazed, set on drinking and having a good time. But, somewhere in the back of her mind, there was a thread of thought, putting it all together.
âOooh, shall we see jusâ âow drrunâkyâare, sweeâeart? Only if youârre keen to play along, yâken. All gooâ fun.âWith a grin, Stratya cleared her throat and began,
âshe sells sheshells- aw, shite. Kyahaah, hoo, coulânâ even do it sober, fuck. Aahh. She sells she- mmn!, she sells seashells by the sea shoarâ. Aack, did it. Thaaâ took way too much focus. Baâs low, buâ can ye do iâ?â She finished her mug.
Wait a minute. Reminding herself of etiquette lessons put her in the right headspace, suddenly that thread of thought found all the pieces it needed. The young lady sheâd had lean on her shoulder was Princess Anastacia! Going back over Annieâs face confirmed it.
Stratya klunked her pint back to the bar,
âoye, barrkeep! Anotâer, and drrop a dram in it! The gooâ stuff, thank ye.â Her diction was just slightly more deliberate as she gave her honest thanks.
Suddenly, princess-sitting. The position she found herself in demanded it. Sheâd be damned if it stopped her from enjoying her trip to the tavern, though.
As Stratya's words finally registered, Anastasia squinted her eyes, attempting to focus.
"Ooo, you sing songs about... seas and... shells?" Her voice trailed off, clearly confused but trying to keep up. She giggled, leaning closer to Stratya as if sharing a secret,
"I don't know any sea songs... but I like how you say 'sea-shells.â Rionaâs jaw clenched as Anastasiaâs laughter cut through the tavern. The princess was having a right jolly time, cheeks flushed with drunken glee and zero f**ks given. Another night, another bender. Dodging accountability with the ease of someone whoâd never had to face them. Forgetting.
Her eyes darted to the empty chair beside her, a hollow ache spreading in her chest. What would he have wanted her to do? The question hung in the air, unanswered.
To hells with it. Before she could second-guess herself, Riona snatched up Darrynâs tankard and knocked it back in three swift gulps. Liquid courage, or liquid stupidity? Only one way to find out.
She slammed the mug down and swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. One deep breath to steady herself, then Riona scooped up the report and stalked across the room. She didnât stop until she was toe-to-toe with Anastasia, close enough to smell the alcohol on her breath. She fixed the princess with a glare that couldâve frozen hellfire.
âHaving fun, Your Highness?â Each word dripped venom.
Anastasia whirled on Riona and beamed,
â Hi cutie! So nice seeing hereee!âThough innocent on the princessâs part, she made matters worse by trying to hug the castle servant.
â I am having SO much fun!âRage simmered beneath Rionaâs skin as she bristled from the touch. Her fingers twitched, itching to wipe that infuriating smirk off that face; to crush her windpipe; to slam that pretty head into the pockmarked bar top again and again. Riona inhaled sharply. Her nostrils flared and her eyes snapped shut. The world narrowed to pinpricks of pain as her nails bit crescents into her palms, knuckles white as bleached bone.
âDonât. F**king. Touch. Me.âHoo, Riona was pissed. Honest-to-goodness, sober, melt-your-face-with-my-eyes pissed. Well, maybe she werenât sober anymore, but being drunk had nothing to do with it. The cat was out of the bag, now, too. Maybe that was best? Stratya took a hesitant sip of her new pint. She had been planning on nursing this one a bit slower than her first, but it seemed like their original plans for the evening were going out the window. Not that Stratya had planned on discussing Rionaâs report
at the tavern. She glanced between the two of them as she sipped her pint slowly, and..
Turned to the bar with the other two captains.
âI sâppose itâs all thâ same, rreally - I serve tâCrrown - but I wâre knighâed by âer Grrace ThâQueen, noâ tâKing.â The Knight glanced over her shoulder at Riona, eyeing her fists, specifically.
She turned to Sjan-dhek with a soft smile,
âYer askinâ on my time witâ tâ arrmy? Heh, much oâ me timeâs nae excitinâ, which is.. good, jusâ borinâ tâ talk on. Peaceful days ân all. Bandiâs were an occasional pain ta deal witâ, buâ âeyâre usually pretây poor on teamwork. Iâm nae patrolinâ much, these days, though.âIt took Sjan-dehk a moment to realise that the woman was addressing him. Firstly, because he didnât think she was done with her current conversation. And secondly, because it took him more than a few moments to even vaguely grasp the gist of what she said. He nodded slowly; as far as he could understand, the bulk of her service had been during times of peace. Good for her, he supposed, but that also meant that she was unlikely to possess the information he sought.
âI sail,â he said and placed a hand over his chest.
âThat means I amâŠHow your people say, part of navy? Yes, navy.â He paused, drumming his fingers on the counter as he thought about how to phrase what he wanted to say next.
âWas inâŠNo, was at war. Five years. But have sailed for many years. Started when I was very young. Fought in many battles. Mostly pirates. During war, I fought other captains. Some easy, others difficult.âHe cleared his throat, and changed the topic to something he felt was lighter.
âYour guards, the ones in the city, I notice most carry swords. Not a lot of guns. You do not use them? Or you do not like them?âA flash of emotion briefly swam in Anastasiaâs gaze and she let go of Riona as if her skin had been hot as lava. Still, she giggled.
âAww seems like everyone isnât having a fun time. If you want a carriage back to the castle, let me know, Riona.â She moved from the girl and looked toward Thea, who had been drunkenly laying her head down.
â Maybe I should take Thea home. She looks like she might pass out.â âWhat are you even doing here?â Before Anastasia could give some smart ass reply Riona snapped her hand up.
âAnd before you try to be cute, I know youâre at a tavern to get sh*tfaced. Thatâs not what Iâm asking and you know that. Why are you out here?â The princess was supposed to be grounded.
âCheering up Thea, Riri!â Anastasia enthusiastically replied.
It would be rude of Stratya to shift her attention from the captain sheâd just started talking to, especially after he shared a glimpse of such experiences.
âWe dunnae finâ firearrms tae be terribly reliable. A gun mighâ be useful if it werks, buâ a sword will werk. Do.. ye nae âave that problem witâ firearrms?â She had to admit, she fancied the idea of a pistol at her side, but couldnât get over the nagging fear of losing her hand to a malfunction.
Sjan-dehk blinked once, a look of surprise colouring his features despite his best efforts. Surely he had misunderstood something? Surely the woman wasnât telling him that Caesonian firearms were that far behind what the Commonwealth considered to be standard?
âNo, we do not have that problem,â he began slowly.
âWe did, long time ago. But we fix. Now guns areâŠThey are the normal? No, the standard for guards. And soldiers. And sailors. We also have swords, still, and bayonets if need to fight close. Some places, they use spears and bows, but only forâŠFor rites and ceremonies, I think.âWell, he supposed that he wasnât one to judge Caesonia too harshly in this regard. Although he never saw it himself, he did hear of incidents during the early weeks of the war when local lords fielded armies in the traditional style of massed spear-armed militiamen, archers, and only a few guns. That swiftly changed once it became clear that even a hastily-trained force of musketeers, backed by cannons, could easily destroy such an army. And as technology marched on over the years, and improved locks and powders of better composition became commonplace, rifles and artillery became the new kings and queens of the battlefield.
âNow we have new guns, also,â Sjan-dehk added.
âLoad faster. FireâŠMore straight. Maybe one day can show you.â Although Sada Kurau had left the Commonwealth before she could take on the new breech-loading rifles that were fast becoming standard-issue, Mursi had been working hard to cobble together a makeshift version that could be retrofitted onto Sada Kurauâs existing stores of muzzle-loaders. From what Sjan-dehk had seen, the man had succeeded.
At the same time, however, she didnât think it wise to ignore the conversation between Riona and the Princess. If you hadnât heard Rionaâs greeting, youâd be forgiven for being unable to tell who the Princess was. Thinking back on it, Stratya would forgive someone for thinking that greeting had been sarcasm, too.
Either way, it didnât sit properly with her to let the princess go on her own like this. Or with her friend. They were both very drunk. If she tried to leave, Stratya could not let her go in this state. Even from here to the castle ground was too far, considering the morningâs revelation.
Cynwaer had been watching the exchanges between Riona and Annie with interest and a good amount of amusement. Resting an elbow on the counter, he braced his cheek against a closed fist. Should he say something? It would certainly add to the fun, he imagined, but he felt that this Riona was just one wrong word away from ripping Annieâs head clean off her shoulders. And as interesting as that sight might be, Cynwaer would rather have a bloodless end to this night.
Anastasia met Cynwaer's gaze suddenly as her eyes wandered and she smiled.
" Friend.â She declared.
âCheering up Thea, huh? With the Crownâs blessing, Iâm sure. Because you couldnât possibly be that godsdamn stupid or callous to pull this sh*t again without guards, could you? Not after the last clusterf*ck that got a stablehand tortured and nearly put to death as a scapegoat. Remember that? What am I saying, of course you do. Itâs only been a few days. No chance in any hell you forgot that quick. Clearly, youâve taken those hard-learned lessons to heart and wouldnât dare risk getting another lowborn beaten and killed just so you can keep having fun with your friends, right?âThe knight thought this had gone on long enough. They didn't need a scene. Stratya didn't need the drama when she's at the tavern, trying to relax after a long day. They didnât need to bother their foreign guests with outbursts like this. She sighed with resignation,
âthankâe fer tâ inforrmation, frrienâ. Perâaps I can buy ye a drink anotâer time. Excuse me.âRiona looked about, searching for any sign of the Princessâs guards she doubted were actually here.
âSo where are they, your guards?âShe spun around on her barstool again, to face Riona and Anastasia, her mug in her hand,
ââere I am~,â she chimed.
âNae betâer escorâ fer a pint aâ thâ pub, if I do say so, mâself. Drink like an ox, I do, ân Iâm always the lasâ standinâ.â Even when thereâs a brawl involved.
Especially when a brawlâs involved. Stratya gave a cheery motion with her mug before taking a swig.
âNow, âfore we starâ a brawl, leâ me finish this here second pint.ââIâll nae âave a brawl taeânight,â Cynwaer piped up. He pretended that he hadnât quite understood what Riona had said â there wasnât much he could do with such information now â but it at least confirmed to him what he had suspected earlier. Annie, and by extension, Thea, were indeed a pair of noble girls who seemed to have acquired a taste for common pleasures. And judging by what Riona had said, said taste didnât always turn out well for those who served beneath them.
He reached across and snatched Annieâs mug off the counter.
âYerâll âave none oâ that. Any mer anâ yerâll be getâinâ in trouble I cannae be fecked taâ deal wiâ, sae either find somewhere else tae âave yer poison, or âead on âame, lass.â He glanced at the woman â Annieâs guard, as she had so proudly proclaimed â and gave her a slight nod. Enemy that she may be, for now they were hopefully both on the same side of defusing tensions and getting Annie and her friend away.
Anastasiaâs eyes initially watered and she clenched her fists. Everyone was always blaming her. Darryn had done it. Callum. Her mother. Even her father. And there was no forgetting that costly ransom, after all.
Anastasiaâs expression darkened, narrowing her unfocused gaze on Riona.
âAre you seriously blaming me?â she began, her words still slurring even as her voice was low and trembling with restrained fury.
âIâm the one who defended him in front of everyone. Where were you? What have you done for Darryn? Youâre all talk ! So go ahead, blame me! Blame everything on me!â Her voice grew louder, tinged with bitterness as she took a step back staggering as her arms spread wide in a mock display.
âEverything wrong in the kingdom is my fault because I dared to step outside!âShe glared at Riona, glassy eyes blazing with anger.
âYou want my guards?â She snapped her fingers sharply.
âGuards!â Rather quickly, three figures detached themselves from the shadows, moving toward her side.
âNo matter where I go, no matter how hard I try to escape, theyâre always there, Riona. So donât worry about me.â With a dismissive wave of her hand, she sent them away, her gaze turning icy. For the first time, she looked at Riona with pure contempt.
âDonât you ever bring up Darryn to me again⊠And stay away from me. Iâve been nothing but nice to you, and I donât need this. I am done with you.â She turned on her heels and stumbled as she made her way to Thea.
Riona breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted the guards. Good. At least torture and threats of execution were off the table. For them, anywayâshe hoped the same courtesy extended to the guards who were supposed to keep people out of Anastasiaâs room. The way these guards skulked around, though, made Riona wonder if the Princess had snuck out without permission. She just knew sheâd be followed.
âHoh hooh, you lads are good at thaââ Stratya eyes the Princess Guard, keeping in mind how they seemed to emerge from the shadows. That didn't sit right.
âGuess Iâll nae âave to fill in, after all..â An eye still on the scene, she turned back toward the bar slowly.
âDarrynâs dead.â Riona announced simply.
âMurdered.â The word hung heavy in the air.
âGiven the circumstances, Iâm not buying itâs unrelated to the afterparty you snuck off to.âAnastasiaâs pupils dilated.
She strode towards the Princess, ignoring the guardâs blade hovering an inch from her neck, and leaned in close.
âYou think everythingâs about you? That all the kingdomâs wrongs hang on your shoulders?â She scoffed.
âGods, youâre so full of yourself. No, Iâm holding you accountable for your own actions and inactions. Deal with it.â Riona stared into those royal eyes, past the Danrose name, the title, right to Anastasia, the person.
âI donât think anythingâs about me.ââI believe you couldâve done more to help Darryn. At any point in time. But you picked your mysterious party friend over him. A mysterious party friend who has enough resources and influence to host secret parties with nobles, erase memories, and vanish without a trace. Versus a stablehand who got... what?â She showed her empty palms to emphasize the point.
âWho needed you most, Anastasia?âAfter taking a deep breath, Rionaâs voice softened just a bit.
âEven though your dad acts like you donât exist most of the time, youâve still got more sway over the outcome of things than any commoner.âAnastasiaâs eyes watered. [color=E77298]
Why say such a thing to me about my father? Why tell me my friend is dead then put the weight on me as if I killed him? Is she evil? Unshed tears stung her eyes.
âSo, what was I doing? While you were off partying, I was getting lashed. Because the nobles needed someone to blame for their own screw-ups at the ball. Just like Darryn. The Crown couldnât punish one of their own or another noble in front of esteemed guests, so they made him pay the price instead. More than he shouldâve. You stopping his execution was the bare minimum you couldâve done for him.âSorrow crossed Annieâs expression hearing that Riona had been lashed, but she did not have time to interrupt.
Riona couldnât help but add,
âAnd donât f**king act like you were the only one who defended Darryn.â Though Riona hadnât reached the entrance in time to see it all, she knew Cal and other nobles like Farim and Zarai had pleaded for Darryn's life too. Anastasia was rewriting history to paint herself as some kind of martyr.
Gods, she is a Princess Edin.âI didnât say that!â Pushing away her disgust, Riona went on,
âAfter all that, what did I do? Nothing that mattered in the end. I helped patch Darryn up and tried to talk sense into him, to get him to leave all this behind and start over somewhere far away.â She swallowed hard.
âI failed him. Now heâs gone.ââI shouldâve tried harder, searched for him sooner. I keep thinking, what else could Iâve said to make him accept my help? Or at least tell me what had him so scared.â Her slumped shoulders straightened as she stood tall, but kept her voice low so the last bit couldnât be overheard by others.
âI canât turn back time. But I can damn well help find out why he died and make it right.ââWhat about you, Anastasia? Knowing that Darryn was killed, possibly because of the afterparty, will you keep wallowing in self-pity? Or are you finally gonna prove that youâre not the self-absorbed, manipulative, fake-nice, hedonistic brat that I think you are?âAnastasia glared hatefully at Riona.
The fire shivered excitedly. Yes, more.âBecause you can make a difference.â She let the silence settle between them.
âYou know where to find me, if you ever decide to be a real friend to Darryn and help solve his murder. You can go now.â The maid dismissed the Princess, turning her back and walking over to Stratya and the two men.
ââŠItâs not my fault Darryn is dead and itâs not your fault either, Riona. If you ran into Darryn, then you know as well as I do that something way weirder was going on than him! And, I donât care what you think about me. You make judgments on me, my family, and everyone like youâre above people. You donât even know me! You sound like the manipulative one framing it as if the only way to be a âgood friendâ to Darryn is through you and putting such crazy expectations for me to have known what was going to happen. Get a grip!â Once Riona was out of earshot, Anastasia beckoned her guards to help collect Thea, and then the two girls left.
âSorry you had to see that,â Riona said to them.
âBut I had to get at least some of it off my chest.âCynwaer let out a low whistle as Riona finished her tirade against Annie. He made space for her and nodded his approval as she approached.
âNae bother,â he said, looked for the barkeep, and beckoned the man over.
âSounds like yer âad plenty oâ shite tae get out oâ yer. Anâ if eâen âalf oâ what yer saidâs taâ truth, then our pink lass oâer there mightâve âad it cominâ, aye?â Before either of the women could give him a response, the barkeep approached with an outstretched hand. A look of false indignation crossed Cynwaerâs face as he dug a hand into his trouser pocket.
âIf yer keep this olâ game up, folksâll start tae think Iâm some sort oâ nae good scunner whoâs nae good fae âis tab, yâknow?ââYou donât have a tab, Cyn,â the barkeep said pointedly. Cynwaer chuckled and placed a couple of scuffed silver coins into his open palm. âAnd weâre all scunners here.â The man snapped his hand into a fist as soon as Cynwaerâs fingers left the coins. âWhat dâyou want?â
âWhateâer that lass asks fae,â Cynwaer said and pointed to Riona. [color=DC143C]âThink she could dae wiâ one or twa good ones, aye?â He then addressed her directly.
ââEard yer say yer got lashed? Thatâs a feckinâ terrible punishment if I eâer âeard oâ one, and Iâm a sailinâ man, aye.â Rionaâs eyes lingered on the door Anastasia and her entourage left from before she turned to the freckled man with a weary smile.
âThanks, uhâŠâ She glanced at the barkeep, jerking her thumb toward the abandoned drinks.
âIâll have what the girls were having.â She faced her unexpected benefactor.
âWhat can I say, some nobleâs tantrums could put a hurricane to shame.â With a sigh, she shrugged.
âBut I need the work at the castle. So I weather the storm and carry on.â And it helped, in its twisted way. To keep the hate and anger burning.
And it was delicious.The barkeep nodded, filled a glass, and slid it Rionaâs way before stomping off to deal with yet another patron who had clearly had more drink than they could handle. Cynwaer nodded to the glass, then looked at Riona.
âWell, botâumâs up, lass,â he said with a friendly smile.
âAye, castle work pays well, I imagine, but if yer eâer in taâ mood fae a change oâ pace, workinâ a shipâs nae a bad choice. Might eâen âave a spot fae yer on Recompense, but I know enough folks whoâd nae mind an extra pair âo âands aboard.âRiona raised the glass in salute before tossing it back in one smooth motion.
âIâll keep that in mind.â But even as the words left her lips, she knew the likelihood of her ever setting foot out of the country, let alone the capital, was low.
âAnd âere I was, beinâ paranoiâ bâfore.â Stratya scoffed into her pint as she went for more. She looked to the two sea captains.
âIâm nae Princess Guard, for clariây's sake. Not exactly a thing you want missinâ, though. What were we talking about, guns? Faster loadinâ, straighâer shootinâ?ââYes, we were. Can show next time, but not important now,â Sjan-dehk said and gave Straya a quick bow of his head. His attention had been stolen by Rionaâs words, and he had listened with keen interest. They told him quite a few things about the relationship between Caesonian nobles and their subjects, none of them good. To lash someone â or to punish them in general â for no good reason was simply unconscionable as far as Commonwealth sensibilities went. There had to be proper processes and rites for these things, and they had to be fair, otherwise why even bother with a system in the first place?
Stratya followed his attention and nodded softly to herself, âaye, righâ you are.âHe cleared his throat. [color=1E90FF]âCynric, he is correct. Lashing isâŠBad. Me, I try not to use it too much on my crew. Only for very bad crimes.â There was a practical reason for that as well. A lashed man needed time to recover, and could do very little during that time. Better to simply punish them in a way that was productive, such as giving them more to do.
[color=DC143C]âThatâs respectable oâ yer, Capân,â Cynwaer remarked. [color=DC143C]âI try tae dae taâ same. Pretây sure some oâ me degenerates might start tae learn tae enjoy it if I use taâ olâ lash oâer much.â
âYour wounds,â Sjan-dehk said to Riona.
âI asâI assume you have them, yes? You have doctor to see them? Otherwise will take long time to heal. If it heal properly.â Sjan-dehk tilted his head towards the tavernâs doors.
âIf you do not have, then my surgeon can look at them. He is good at healing.âRiona squinted, brain fumbling to place the foreigner. Then it clickedâthe guy from the restaurant. Huh.
âOh, thanks, for the offer. I know some herbalism so itâs not as bad as it couldâve been.â Though, maybe she should have a proper doctor check her and not whatever it is that Quack did. Her body had been through the wringer latelyâCalâs concoctions and her own remedies could only do so much. And who knew what that intruder had dosed her with?
âBut⊠I think Iâll take you up on that offer.ââWe'll talk abouâ our bâsness in tâ morninâ, Rriona. Tomorrah, anyway. Yâneed the eveninâ, lass. Shite, go on get smashed, yâ wanâ. I'll tell âem I need ya fer sometâinâ, getcher a sneaky day off, ân make banana breaâ for yer botâle ache. It's a hiâ aâ Drunkard's Week, back âome.â Yes, she said
week.
Her pint, on the bar, was the perfect target. The knight was looking away. Frrmp. The fuzzy little beast jumped up to the bar and slinked forward, toward the tall glass it had its eye on.
Something tipped Stratya off, her gaze snapping to her pint to catch a cat, trying to sneak a drink. Her hand left the handle of her pint and snatched the creature by the scruff, standing it up on its back legs,
ânae, yâ may noâ âave my ale. Aren' ye a litâle small fer iâ? Wee tâing like you, câmerre.â The cat seemed awfully placid as she scooped it up and laid it in her lap. Must be used to being handled. She took her glove off to give it chin scritches and belly rubs, which it lavished in.
âOoh, whaâ a baby.âRiona nodded along absently, thinking that getting wasted sounded pretty damn good right about now. But then a jolt of panic snapped her back to reality.
âWait, no. Stratya, we canât let this sit until tomorrow.â The report crumpled in her grip as she drew closer, straining to keep her voice low.
âWeâve gotta solve this before another Darryn happens. Unless Anastasia decides to cooperate and help us get to the bottom of this, youâll need to question her. Or tail her. Maybe both.âRealizing she was all up in the Knight Captainâs face, Riona took a quick step back.
âSorry, I justâŠâ A sigh slipped out.
âI donât think Anastasia fully grasped what I was asking her to do. I was too pissed off to explain it right. But the thing is, Anastasia knows who hosted that afterparty. And I think Darrynâs death,â at this point, the Knight Captain pulled the servant in closer again, giving her a flash of wide eyes to keep it quiet. Her eyes turned to the cat, trying to signal diversion,
âis tied to more than just escorting her and the others there. He was terrified of someone, or maybe a whole group of someones. Point is, whatever Anastasia knows about this host could crack the case wide open.âRiona gazed down at the cat in Stratyaâs lap and reached down to scratch behind its ears, gathering her thoughts. Too much detail might be lost on Stratya, if she was two to three sheets to the wind. So Riona gave her the short version in a hushed voice pitched for the Knightâs ears alone.
âQuick and dirty on the analysis: that substance? Not organic. I couldnât find out anything more than that with what I had. If itâs a chemical, itâs potent, most likely synthesized, and not something you can pick up at the market, at least not in this country. OrâŠâ She hesitated, then plunged ahead.
âIt could be magical.âRiona watched Stratyaâs reaction.
âEither way, itâs not something you can normally get without money or connections. Just. Like. The mysterious host.â She emphasized the point.
âThatâs why I have my suspicions about Anastasiaâs more important âfriend.ââ The friend she valued more than Darryn.
âSo, if Anastasia keeps protecting this âfriend,â even though I said the afterparty could be connected to Darrynâs murder⊠Guess that proves I was right about her all along.â The thought stung, and Riona sagged as a heavy sigh gusted out of her.
Cynwaer buried his nose in his mug, pretending that he hadnât caught snippers of what Rionaâs hushed whispers. There wasnât enough for him to paint even half-a-picture of what exactly was going on, but coupled with her earlier outburst, there
was enough for him to know that there was some sort of intrigue going on with the pink girl. And for Cynwaer, noble intrigue was something that was always welcome. He never knew when such information would come in handy.
And so, he made a note to keep his eyes and ears open and sharp for anything that might give him a better idea as to what was going on, and stood up from his seat.
âWell,â he said.
âThatâs it fae me. Iâd betâer start making tracks fae me ship.â He glanced at Sjan-dehk with a grin.
âUs folk oâ the sea âave early starts tae taâ day, aye?âSjan-dehk nodded in agreement.
âYes. I should go also,â he said and quickly got to his feet. He had already lingered for far more time than he intended, or should. Working a ship, as Cynwaer had said, called for early starts to a day. Unfortunately, there were not nearly enough early ends to balance things out.
âWill have to start training crew tomorrow. Keep in practice, yes?ââRunninâ the ropes, eh?â Sjan-dehk blinked once, then nodded when he more-or-less grasped what Cynwaer meant.
âNot so much. My crew, they can sail. But weapons, too long did not fire.â He paused, the memories of his brief skirmish with pirates from just a day ago returning to his mind. That had been such a minor incident that he had almost forgotten all about it.
âToo long did not fire withâŠWith drill and command, yes,â he corrected himself. Being able to fight in a real battle was well and good, but it was a poor captain who used that as a full substitute for training. There was merit in drilling a crew until every action was second nature, and battle â where tensions were high and nerves could fray â was a poor place to foster such.
âGunnery practice?â Cynwaer asked, interest in his voice.
âNow thatâd be a sight, aye.ââMayne not cannons. Rifles. Tomorrow, will be sure.â Sjan-dehk shrugged. He would have liked to do both in a single day, but his other, diplomatic duties wouldnât allow him the time for it.
âYou, RiâRiyoââ He tried to address Riona, but kept tripping over her name. He paused, breathed in deeply through his nose, and tried again.
âRi-oh-na, you still want to see doctor? You can come with me.â With that, he turned and started to follow Cynwaer out the door.
Stratya almost expected more magic to be at play. Either way, it was no surprise. She eyed the servant curiously, though she wasn't concerned. Anyone could think to blame magic for something, and all the better for her assistant to know more about it than not.
More immediate than that, however,
âRriona,â the knight began, considering how she might speak concisely,
âif I woulda known yâ wanâed tâ brring business tae discuss over drrinks, I woulda just taken us to me âouse. Much more prrivate?â She lowered her voice further,
ânoâ as likely to go paintinâ ourselves to tâ shadows we're pokinâ?âRiona met her gaze steadily. Sheâd thought her intentions about talking business was clearâmentioning that the analysis would be done by the time they met up and again after they arrived at the bar. Even proposed a cover story. Though, thinking back, it wasnât like she said out loud that âJust two colleagues on a night outâ was going to be their cover story. She kind of just assumed Stratya got it. Guess not. Damn. Her fault for not double checking.
âYouâve been acting like you donât know who to trust.â She continued to keep her voice at a whisper while her eyes searched the other womanâs face.
âI thought thatâs why you didnât want to outsource the analysis. That youâre worried about somebody tampering with the evidence.âShe tilted her head towards the rowdy tavern.
âIf youâre as spooked as I think you are, maybe you werenât even sure your own house is secure. Could be ears in the walls.â Riona shrugged.
âSo I figured you thought the tavern might be just loud and chaotic enough to give some cover. You know, make it harder for prying eyes and ears to pick up on things?âânoâ as likely to go paintinâ ourselves to tâ shadows we're pokinâ?âDid she mean becoming targets themselves? For investigating Darrynâs murder? Something about that struck Riona as a little odd.
She angled herself away from the bulk of the patrons.
âA severed head, belonging to someone mixed up in a recent royal scandal, was left behind on purpose, within castle grounds, a territory where a knight or a royal guard would likely be called in. Whoever did it wanted it found, wouldâve known thereâd be an investigation. If they wanted to avoid that, theyâd have disposed of it with the body.â⊠Unless there was something Stratya wasnât telling her. Had the Knight Captain been ordered not to investigate? Was she the only one on the case?
âYouâre involved in looking into that afterparty incident too, right? If these people got eyes and ears everywhere, like you suspect, they already knew about you before this. You were and still are a potential threat to them.âRiona cradled the cat in her arms, using the motion to cover passing off the analysis report into Stratyaâs hand.
âBut hey, if I end up face-down in a gutter, at least youâve got a tavern full of suspects to round up,â she said, a hint of dark humor in her voice.
The sea captains were leaving, including Rionaâs opportunity for medical attention. She looked past Riona and shook her head,
âaack, go on, then. Seeinâ thaâ doctor sounâs like a good idea. Even were we tâ jump intae action righâ now, we nae ken what we need. It'll be betâer for us tâ take a steaây pace. I'll see what can be done come morninâ.âShe lifted a hand to wave to the departing,
ââave fun shooâinâ âem guns, frriend.âRiona followed Stratyaâs line of sight and raised a finger before gently returning the cat back onto the Knight Captainâs lap.
âSorry that I misunderstood why we met up. And Iâm sorry if that outburst gave away something that wasnât meant to be shared. I didnât consider the possibility that this was an unofficial or not a public investigation yet. But like I said, I donât think youâre any more or less a target now than you already were.âStratya sighed and rubbed a hand over her face, â
âEeh, you're probâly reyt.. maybe I jusâ neeâ some shu' eye.âTaking a step back, she spoke at a normal volume.
âDonât take time for granted StratyaâŠâ She paused, then added,
âAnd... thanks. For agreeing to talk to her. Good night.âRiona had taken two steps when she halted, turning around.
âWhat did⊠âyour lady bossâ say?â The question to the Queen, about the Royal Advisor.
âNothinâ. That she âadnât seen âim.âRiona nodded at the answer thoughtfully.
âThanks, see you later.â And with that, she darted after the dark-haired captain.
